Best Bars Austin: Bars with Games

An adult beverage tastes even better with a side of childlike revelry

Barfly’s5420 Airport Blvd., (512) 452-6455, barflysaustin.com
Look no further than this rowdy Airport Boulevard joint if you want the best and loudest jukebox in Austin, with musical selections ranging from Frank Sinatra to Slayer. Set up your soundtrack for an evening of indulging in Barfly’s other amusements, such as foosball, arcade games, pool and cult-classic movies playing regularly on the TVs. If you’re more in the mood for quiet conversation, head outside to the laid-back patio.

Lavaca Street Bar405 Lavaca St., (512) 469-0106, lavacastreet.com
This downtown sports bar is a great place for spectators, with game-day specials, like free Jello shots every time the Texans score. But Lavaca Street patrons love to get in on the action themselves with lively bouts of skeeball. The Austin Skeeball League plays here on Wednesdays and Sundays, but $2 Lone Stars are the perfect winner-take-all prizes for casual competitions with friends any day of the week.

Buffalo Billiards201 E. Sixth St., (512) 479-7665, buffalobilliards.com/austin
The building that houses this popular pool hall was a brothel back in the 19th century, but now it serves as a different type of good time. Buffalo Billiards contains 22,000 square feet of dartboards, billiards, shuffleboard, foosball and the newest addition, a recreation room with both modern and vintage video games. And in terms of atmosphere, it’s still got just enough of that Wild West flavor.

Bar 9696 Rainey St., (512) 433-6604, 96austin.com
Sitting among the other small, converted houses on Rainey Street, Bar 96 is the perfect place to enjoy life’s simple pleasures: playing a game with a beer and some friends. The establishment is encircled by a patio boasting plenty of seating, but the real prize is the big backyard packed with picnic tables, a cornhole court and the ever-infuriating Bimini ring game. Loser buys the next round, of course.

Buzz Mill Coffee1505 Town Creek Drive, (512) 912-9221, buzzmillcoffee.com
Set off East Riverside Drive next to a Dairy Queen, Buzz Mill isn’t a bar you just stumble upon—unless it’s after a sundae. But with its lumberjack-friendly log cabin theme, locally roasted coffee and full bar, once you discover the 24/7 gem, you’ll be back. Bring your game face because it has an assortment of old-school board games, including Clue, Monopoly and Risk, plus giant Jenga, Lincoln Logs, cornhole and skoo ball, a version of skeeball.

Kung Fu Saloon510 Rio Grande St., (512) 469-0901, kungfusaloon.com
A popular and constantly crowded destination for nights and Sunday Fundays alike, Kung Fu boasts games like Ms. Pacman, oversized Jenga and always-free skeeball. To help participants maintain their competitive edge, there’s the notorious concoction known as the pickle shot, a shot of vodka served with a pickle juice chaser. The bar is the perfect spot to complete the “play hard” part of your “work hard, play hard” mantra.

Recess Arcade Bar
222 E. Sixth St., (512) 698-9852, recessarcadebar.com
It’s difficult to determine whether Recess is a bar with arcade games or an arcade that happens to have a full bar. Either way, it’s aptly named, because when you’re here, it’s playtime. Whether you’re interested in impressing someone with your Pacman prowess or showing off your Street Fighter skills, these and other throwback options are available. Fair warning: You’ll probably have to fight off a few college students for a round of Frogger.

HandleBar121 E. Fifth St., (512) 344-9571, handlebaraustin.com
Genius name and staff members’ impressive facial hair aside, there’s more to HandleBar than just mustache paraphernalia. Pose for silly pictures at the photo booth downstairs, then head to the sprawling rooftop for a playground that’ll have your reminiscing on your grade school days. Ring toss, cornhole and giant Jenga are all available, along with more atypical attractions like a seesaw, a rocking zebra and a rocking seahorse.

Red’s Porch3508 S. Lamar Blvd., (512) 440-7337, redsporch.com
At this bar and eatery overlooking the Greenbelt, there’s an unfussy vibe that makes it feel like you’re hanging out on, well, someone’s porch. But it’s a porch that consists of two spacious stories and a full bar—and it hosts weekly trivia nights and provides patrons with competitive entertainment options, such as cornhole, darts and shuffleboard. You have to admit it has a slight advantage over your own porch.